Chief Minister Outlines Strategic Priorities at Sold-Out Chamber Lunch

Business leaders, government officials, and industry representatives gathered yesterday for the Jersey Chamber of Commerce September lunch. While Interim Chamber President Eliot Lincoln delivered the opening remarks, the main address of the event was given by Chief Minister Senator Lyndon Farnham, who outlined the government's strategic focus, financial discipline, and capital investment priorities for the new political term. You can read here Eliot's full speech.

Opening Remarks and the Focus on Economic Growth

Kicking off the proceedings with a touch of humour regarding the high demand to hear from the Chief Minister, Mr Lincoln used his opening remarks to highlight the fundamental aspirations of Jersey's business community. Whether speaking with retailers, hoteliers, builders, farmers, technology firms, or professional services, he noted that local enterprises share a common goal: they want to invest, recruit, and grow.

Mr Lincoln stressed that while debates around minimum wage, housing, and workplace standards are vital, the cost of living and the cost of doing business are two sides of the same coin.

• The Core Message: Without a strong and growing economy, conversations stall into arguments about how to divide a pie that isn't getting any bigger.

• Creating Prosperity: Growth creates jobs, supports wages, fund public services, and generates widespread opportunity.

"Government's job is not to fly the plane," Mr Lincoln remarked to the room. "Government's job is to build the runway... What worries us is the possibility that the runway might move halfway through take-off."

Main Address: The Chief Minister's Vision

Following the opening remarks, Chief Minister Senator Lyndon Farnham took to the floor as the main speaker of the afternoon, delivering a comprehensive address on the administration's policy direction. He emphasised that a robust economy relies on successful, unhindered businesses, reiterating that government does not create prosperity—people and businesses do.

The Chief Minister's address touched upon several key areas critical to the island's future:

• Financial Stability and Fiscal Discipline: Highlighting the necessity for the government to live within its means, prioritise expenditure, and protect public reserves.

• Housing and Workforce Realities: Acknowledging that increasing housing supply and improving affordability remain major priorities to tackle workforce and competitiveness challenges.

• Targeted Delivery: Focusing on making government work better, streamlining administration, and fostering closer links between schools, Highlands College, and employers.

Following the Chief Minister speech, a short Q&A session closed another successful event.

You can read the Speech by the Chief Minister to the Jersey Chamber of Commerce in full to explore the administration's complete policy positions and priorities.